Chief John Big Tree (born Isaac Johnny John, June 2, 1877 – July 6, 1967) was a member of the

Seneca Nation The Seneca ( ; ) are a group of Indigenous Iroquoian-speaking people who historically lived south of Lake Ontario, one of the five Great Lakes in North America. Their nation was the farthest to the west within the Six Nations or Iroquois Leag ...

and an actor who appeared in 59 films between 1915 and 1950. He was born in

Buffalo, New York Buffalo is a Administrative divisions of New York (state), city in the U.S. state of New York (state), New York and county seat of Erie County, New York, Erie County. It lies in Western New York at the eastern end of Lake Erie, at the head of ...

and died in Onondaga Indian Reservation,

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York New York may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * ...

. His interment was also there. 1935 Indian Head Buffalo Nickel

Big Tree claimed to be one of three Native American chiefs whose profiles were composited to make the portrait featured on the

obverse The obverse and reverse are the two flat faces of coins and some other two-sided objects, including paper money, flags, seals, medals, drawings, old master prints and other works of art, and printed fabrics. In this usage, ''obverse'' ...

of the United States' Indian Head nickel, designed by sculptor James Earle Fraser. The other two chiefs were Iron Tail and Two Moons. Big Tree claimed that his profile was used to create that portion of the portrait from the top of the forehead to the upper lip. JEFEndOfTheTrail

Big Tree also claimed to be the sole model for Fraser's most recognized work, the doleful '' End of the Trail''. Both of these claims are broadly disputed, and Fraser identified other models. He also appeared on the March 1964 cover of ''

Esquire Esquire (, ; abbreviated Esq.) is usually a courtesy title. In the United Kingdom, ''esquire'' historically was a title of respect accorded to men of higher social rank, particularly members of the landed gentry above the rank of gentleman ...

'' magazine, in a pose commemorating the Indian Head nickel.

Partial filmography

* '' The Spirit of '76'' (1917,

Lost film A lost film is a feature film, feature or short film in which the original negative or copies are not known to exist in any studio archive, private collection, or public archive. Films can be wholly or partially lost for a number of reasons. ...

) as Gowah * '' A Fight for Love'' (1919, Lost film) as Swift Deer * '' The Avenging Arrow'' (1921, Lost film) as Madoo * '' The Primitive Lover'' (1922) as Chief Johnny Bluebottle * '' The Huntress'' (1923) as Otebaya * '' The Iron Horse'' (1924) as Cheyenne Chief (uncredited) * '' The Red Rider'' (1925) as Indian Chief * '' Ranson's Folly'' (1926) as Chief Standing Bear * '' The Frontier Trail'' (1926) as Chief Gray Wolf * '' Mantrap'' (1926) as Indian (uncredited) * '' The Desert's Toll'' (1926) as Red Eagle * ''The Outlaw Breaker'' (1926) as Indian (uncredited) * '' Winners of the Wilderness'' (1927) as Chief Pontiac * '' The Frontiersman'' (1927) as Grey Eagle * '' Painted Ponies'' (1927) * '' Spoilers of the West'' (1927) as Chief Red Cloud * ''

Wyoming Wyoming ( ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Mountain states, Mountain West subregion of the Western United States, Western United States. It borders Montana to the north and northwest, South Dakota and Nebraska to the east, Idaho t ...

'' (1928) as An Indian * '' The Overland Telegraph'' (1929) as Medicine Man * '' Sioux Blood'' (1929) as Crazy Wolf * ''

The Big Trail ''The Big Trail'' is a 1930 American epic pre-Code Western early widescreen film shot on location across the American West starring 23-year-old John Wayne in his first leading role and directed by Raoul Walsh. It is the final completed film ...

'' (1930) as Indian (uncredited) * '' Red Fork Range'' (1931) as Chief Barking Fox * '' Fighting Caravans'' (1931) as Indian Chief in Opening Credits (uncredited) * ''

The Last of the Mohicans ''The Last of the Mohicans: A Narrative of 1757'' is an 1826 historical romance novel by James Fenimore Cooper. It is the second book of the '' Leatherstocking Tales'' pentalogy and the best known to contemporary audiences. '' The Pathfinder'', ...

'' (1932, Serial) as Huron Warrior (uncredited) * '' The Golden West'' (1932) as Indian (uncredited) * '' The Telegraph Trail'' (1933) as Indian Chief (uncredited) * '' King of the Arena'' (1933) as Circus Indian (uncredited) * ''

Massacre A massacre is an event of killing people who are not engaged in hostilities or are defenseless. It is generally used to describe a targeted killing of civilians Glossary of French words and expressions in English#En masse, en masse by an armed ...

'' (1934) as Indian Judge (uncredited) * '' Wheels of Destiny'' (1934) as Chief War Eagle * '' The Cat's-Paw'' (1934) as Chinese Guards (uncredited) * '' Wake Up and Dream'' (1934) as 1st Indian (uncredited) * '' The Miracle Rider'' (1935, Serial) as Old Indian h. 1(uncredited) * '' The Farmer Takes a Wife'' (1935) as Indian (uncredited) * '' The Singing Vagabond'' (1935) as Chief White Eagle (uncredited) * '' Custer's Last Stand'' (1936, Serial) as Medicine Man h. 9* '' The Adventures of Frank Merriwell'' (1936, Serial) as Indian John (uncredited) * ''

Daniel Boone Daniel Boone (, 1734September 26, 1820) was an American pioneer and frontiersman whose exploits made him one of the first folk heroes of the United States. He became famous for his exploration and settlement of Kentucky, which was then beyo ...

'' (1936) as Wyandotte Warrior (uncredited) * '' The Bold Caballero'' (1936) as Tavern Indian (uncredited) * '' Maid of Salem'' (1937) as Indian (uncredited) * '' Lost Horizon'' (1937) as Porter (uncredited) * '' Hills of Old Wyoming'' (1937) (with Hopalong Cassidy) as Chief Big Tree * '' The Painted Stallion'' (1937, Serial) as Commanche Chief (uncredited) * '' Prairie Thunder'' (1937) as Indian (uncredited) * '' The Girl of the Golden West'' (1938) as Indian Chief in Prologue (uncredited) * '' Flaming Frontiers'' (1938, Serial) as Arapaho Chief hs. 12–13(uncredited) * ''

Hawk of the Wilderness ''Hawk of the Wilderness'' (1938) is a Republic Pictures, Republic movie serial based on the ''Kioga'' adventure novels written by Pulp magazine, pulp writer William L. Chester (1907–1971). Kioga was a Tarzanesque white child raised on a lost ...

'' (1938, Serial) as Medicine Man (uncredited) * ''

Stagecoach A stagecoach (also: stage coach, stage, road coach, ) is a four-wheeled public transport coach used to carry paying passengers and light packages on journeys long enough to need a change of horses. It is strongly sprung and generally drawn by ...

'' (1939) as Apache Scout (uncredited) * ''

Susannah of the Mounties ''Susannah of the Mounties'' is a children's novel by Canadian author Muriel Denison, first published in 1936. In the book 9-year-old Susannah is sent to Regina, Saskatchewan to spend the summer with her uncle who is a Mountie. There are severa ...

'' (1939) as Chief (uncredited) * '' The Oregon Trail'' (1939, Serial) as Spotted Elk (uncredited) * ''

Drums Along the Mohawk ''Drums Along the Mohawk'' is a 1939 American historical drama film based upon a 1936 novel of the same name by American author Walter D. Edmonds. The film stars Henry Fonda and Claudette Colbert, was produced by Darryl F. Zanuck, and direct ...

'' (1939) as Blue Back * '' Destry Rides Again'' (1939) as Indian in Saloon (uncredited) * '' Heroes of the Saddle'' (1940) as Rodeo Indian (uncredited) * '' Pioneers of the West'' (1940) as Indian Chief (uncredited) * ''

Brigham Young Brigham Young ( ; June 1, 1801August 29, 1877) was an American religious leader and politician. He was the second President of the Church (LDS Church), president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) from 1847 until h ...

'' (1940) as Big Elk * '' Too Many Girls'' (1940) as Chief (uncredited) * '' North West Mounted Police'' (1940) as Blue Owl (uncredited) * '' Hudson's Bay'' (1941) as Chief * ''

Western Union The Western Union Company is an American multinational financial services corporation headquartered in Denver, Denver, Colorado. Founded in 1851 as the New York and Mississippi Valley Printing Telegraph Company in Rochester, New York, the co ...

'' (1941) as Chief Spotted Horse * '' Las Vegas Nights'' (1941) as Indian (uncredited) * '' Unconquered'' (1947) as Indian (uncredited) * '' She Wore a Yellow Ribbon'' (1949) as Chief Pony That Walks * '' Devil's Doorway'' (1950) as Thundercloud

References

External links

* *
Rogue River War of 1855–1856
{{DEFAULTSORT:Big Tree, John 1877 births 1967 deaths 20th-century American male actors 20th-century Native American people American male film actors American male silent film actors Iroquois actors Male actors from Buffalo, New York Male actors from Michigan Native American male actors Native American people from New York (state) People from Onondaga County, New York Seneca Nation of New York people